Watchcase



wATcHcAsE. APPLICATION mu: went. 1919.

Pat nted Sept 5, 1922.

15 2 were 2 0 7;

P755. fizz/ram Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

i 1,427,803 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT n. HAMAN, on ST; rAUL; MINNESOTA.

WATGHGASE.

Application filed August 11,

To all whom iii may concern." 1

Be it known that I, ALBE T L. HAMAN, a citizen ofthe .United States, residing at St. Paul,.in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin \Vatchcases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to swing-ring watch. cases and more particularly to improve' ments in. anti magnetic attachments de v signed to be applied to the swinging ring of the watch case. I 1

An object of the invention is to provide a dividing wall in the interior of the watch case located between the back of the watch 1 case and the swing-ring, said wall being madepreferably of soft iron to absorbmagnetisin, and being bodily instantly removable from thejwatch case. p a y A further object of the invention is to provide antianagnetic means in a watch case ofthe class described which may also serve as a protecting, shield for the movement niounted in the ring.

A still further object of the invention is to provide anti-magneticmeans in watch cases of the class described which may be applied as an attachment, to standard makes.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In theac- I companying drawings forming part of the specification I Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View through the center of a watch case and its pendant embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a watch case embodying the invention, the'cover'of the case not being shown.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shield or cap removed from the watch case, and

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary perspective view of a section of the swing-ring. 7

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body portion of a circular watch case formed elliptical in cross section and provided with a radially disposed cylindrical pendant B, its longitudinal axis coinciding with the maj or axis of said ellipse, the pend ant extending outwardly from the periphery of the body portion.

Offset in a direction away from the back 1 of the body portion from said major axis is the annular inwardly extending flange 2 integral with the upper edge of the bodyportion of the watch case. The flange 2 surrounds a the two meeting surfaces.

1919. Serial No. 316,613.

centeraperture 3 surrounded by an integral upwardly extending ringportion 1, whereby is formed a recess 5 around said'aperture. Screw threaded on the flange portion 4: is a cover 6 formed with abezel 7 adapted to hold a crystal 8. Finged on one'side of the flange 4 by means of pivot 9' is the swing-ring C. The swing-ring is formed with a shoulder 10 adapted to seat intlie recess 5, the ring being formed so asto be flush with the top of the flange portion 4 when in seated position.

The ring as shown is comparativelydeep and'is adapted to receive a watch movement not shown, the ring being formed along its lower edge with an inturned flange 11, upon which the movement is adapted to rest.

Rotatably mounted in the pendant'B is the radiallydisposed winding stem 12, the axis of rotation thereof coinciding with the major axis of the elliptical body'portion, and extending through an opening 13 in the swing-ring C Y The inner end of the winding stem l lis squared and is adapted to co-operate with winding mechanism not shown. As indicated in Fig. 1 the opening 13 in the swingring sufficiently large to clear the end 14 of the winding stem when the ring is swung around the pivot 9,. i

The outer d 'ameter of thelower part of the swing-ring is somewhat smaller in diameter than the aperture 3 in the body portion thereby affording a space toreceive the vertical wall 15 of the cap D. The cap Doomp'rises a bottom 16 joined to'the vertical wall 15 by an inclined wall portion 17 The lower outside portion of the ring C is chamfered to conform to the inclined wall portion 17 so that the cap may be slipped over the bottom of the ring C until it abutsagainst the shoulder 10 thereof, the flange being held positioned solely by friction between The cap is provided with an opening 18 adapted to register with the opening 13 in the swinging ring, the hole being also proportioned to clear the end of the winding stem 12.

In order to insure the proper position of the cap relative .to the opening 13 in the swing-ring the cap is provided with a notch as by means of the inclined wall 17 the cap will clear the edge of the aperture 3 when it is swung about the pivot 9, as indicated in Fig. 1. Thus, the cap may at any time be instantly removed from the swing-ring so as to be entirely separated from the watch case.

The chief object of providing a. cap readily removable without necessitating the removal of fastening means such as screws or snaps and the like is to render it possible to sub-- ject the cap to a sudden jar such as .it would receive by throwing it sharply upon a table for the purpose of discharging accumulated magnetism which it had previously absorbed.

It is a well known fact that the balance wheels of watches frequently become magnetized to a degree rendering operation of the movement diflicult. While a magnet will act through a vacuum or through glass or wood the magnetic flux seems to prefer so it iron to any other medium.

Applicant is aware that watches have been provided with soft iron cases to pre vent magnetic distribution in the movement, but many of these devices require special machinery for demagnetization. Applicants device may be demagnetized by simply removing the cap and subjecting it to a jar and then replacing it in its original position. A further function of the p is to protect the movement against the accidental denting of the back of the watch case.

While applicant has shown a considerable space in Fig. 1 between the back of the case and the cap it is evident that the bot tom of the cap may be brought in close proximity (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) to the back of the case without interfering with its anti-magnetic "function. Further applicants device may be applied to any make of swing-ring watch cases, as an attachment in that it is only necessary to provide the lug 20 on the swing-ring. In or der to facilitate removal of the cap suitable thumb notches 21 in the edge of the wall 15 are provided.

I claim:

1. A watch case comprising a body portion having a centrally disposed aperture, a movement carrying ring hinged to said case at the edge oi? said aperture to swing into and out of the same and having a dc pending chamfered portion and a cap of highly magnetic metal or material enclosing said ring and having a contracted base portion engaging the depending ring portion to be frictionally held thereon for the purpose set forth.

2. A watch casing comprising a body portion having a centrally disposed aperture, a movement carrying ring constructed to fit within said aperture and hinged at its up per edge to said body portion so as to swing into and out of said aperture, a cap of highly magnetic metal or material completely covering all of said ring below said aperture when said ring is within the aperture said cap being removably held upon said ring and said ring on one side being formed with an opening, and a winding stem sup ported on said casing and extending loosely through the opening in said ring.

3. A watch casing comprising a body portion having a centrally disposed aperture, a movement carrying ring hinged at its upper edge to swing into and out of said aperture, said ring having a depending annular portion extending down within the body portion, and a cap of magnetic material completely covering the depending portion of the ring and normally being clamped between the ring and the wall of the aperture.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of a witness.

ALBERT L. HAMAN.

Witness GEORGE VoELKnR. 

